A small microwave oven has advantages over a larger microwave oven, particularly if you’re planning to place it on your countertop. Kitchen countertop real estate is valuable and a small microwave oven can save space that you can use for other appliances or for meal preparation.

You might be thinking that if you get a small microwave oven you will have to sacrifice performance and features and in many cases that’s true. You will generally find that manufacturers choose to put the most features and power in their larger microwave ovens.

A lot of it has to do with size as smaller microwaves don’t have the space for larger magnetrons with more power, or complex microprocessor controllers to handle enhanced capabilities.

A small microwave also doesn’t need as much space, because it doesn’t have the interior room to put larger foods that would need the power to cook them in a reasonable period of time.

That said, manufacturers have continued to improve small microwaves to the point where they have many of the same features as larger microwave ovens.

What should you look for in a small microwave oven?

Size

Opinions differ on what constitutes a small or compact microwave oven, but for our purposes, a small microwave oven is less than 1.0 cu. ft. in capacity.

Interested in seeing other countertop microwave ovens? Be sure and see our other articles about some of the best!

As we have said, compact microwave will be equipped with less power and reduced performance when compared to larger models. You can expect most small microwaves to have between 700 and 900 watts. If you need the power, opt for a model as close to 1000 watts a possible.

Inverter

Inverter microwaves have true variable power whereas a traditional microwave does not. A traditional microwave often will have multiple power settings, but it’s always using full power when its operating. It simulates variable power settings by turning itself off and on. For instance, if you choose 50% power, it will operate half the time at full power. This sort of fake adjustable power might be fine for popcorn, but for more delicate foods, it produces poor results.

An inverter microwave actually varies the power according to your settings. When you select 50% power, it produces half its rated power for the time you specify. This makes it ideal for a wide variety of foods that you wouldn’t normally consider cooking in a microwave oven and produces better results for all foods.

Unfortunately, inverters are rare in compact microwaves. Only microwave in our list is an inverter microwave.

Turntable

A turntable rotates your food to uniformly distribute the microwave energy and cook more evenly. Turntables are common in larger microwaves, but not in small microwaves.

Sensor Cooking

Sensor cooking is the latest technology to hit the microwave world. It uses sensors that measure the steam emitted from your food during the cooking process to determine when food is at the ideal temperature. It can produce better automatic results than power and timing alone.

Multistage Cooking

Multistage cooking allows you to program multiple stages of the cooking process and their cooking times at the same time. When one stage of the program completes, the next stage starts automatically. For example, if you want to defrost the food before cooking, you can program the microwave to defrost the food first and then cook the meal automatically.

Popular Food Presets

Many modern microwaves come with preset “Smart Touch” settings that allow you to cook popular foods like popcorn, pasta, frozen entrees, potatoes, vegetables, pizza, and hot beverages. You just place your food in the microwave and push the appropriate button to cook your food automatically without having to worry about time and power settings.

Small Microwave Oven: Top 7 Most Popular Compact Microwave Ovens

The smallest microwave oven in our list, the Whirlpool WC20005YB 0.5 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave Oven in Black is not small on performance or features. It has a unique design that will fit neatly in a corner of your countertop out of the way to save precious countertop space yet still has the capability to perform just any microwave cooking task. It features 750 watts of power, a large 11-inch glass turntable, and variable power settings so you can tailor power to individual foods. With its nimble design, choice of colors, and performance features, you will appreciate the space you save using this popular small microwave oven. Here’s what you need to know.

With a striking retro red color and accents reminiscent of 1950s diners, the Nostalgia Electrics RMO400RED Retro Series 0.9 Cu. Ft. Microwave Oven features 800 watts of power and a small microwave oven capacity of 0.9 cu. ft. Larger than their 0.7 cu. ft. RM0700RED model, it also has a unique oval window and special chrome accents like a chrome door handle that will look great in any room you put it in. Simple and easy to use, it has a built-in LED display with digital lock and a turn-and-push cooking control dial. You will appreciate its 12 pre-programmed cooking settings designed to handle a variety of popular foods and its delayed timer that allows you to start the microwave before you get home for dinner. Here’s what you need to know.

Kenmoreis one of the most trusted brands in home appliances. The Kenmore 73092 0.9 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave is one of the largest and most powerful in our list with 900 watts of power and a capacity of 0.9 cu. ft. It features multi-stage, programmable cooking capability which, for example, allows you to program the microwave to defrost and then cook your food. Its 6 Smart Touch settings allow you to use automatic presets for popular foods at the touch of a button without having to worry about time or power settings, while its memory cooking function saves your favorite cook time and power level combinations for later easy use. It provides you with 10 microwave power levels which allow you to tailor your cooking to individual foods. Its large 10.6-inch diameter glass turntable provides the ability to heat food more evenly, can accommodate larger dishes, and it’s dishwasher safe. A built-in LED display shows you cooking times and power levels at a glance. Here’s what you need to know.

Features

Memory cooking lets you create and save customized cook time and power level combinations

10 power levels allow you to tailor cooking power to individual foods

6 preset Smart Touch settings automatically cook popular foods, including popcorn, potato, pizza, frozen vegetable, beverage, and dinner plate, at the touch of a button without the need to set time or power level settings

Extend Cook allows you to increment cooking time 30 seconds at a time

Large 10.6-inch diameter glass turntable rotates to cook food more evenly, can accommodate larger cooking dishes, and is microwave safe

Slightly smaller than the Nostalgia Electrics RMO400RED, also in our list, the Nostalgia Electrics RMO770RED Retro Series 0.7 Cu. Ft. Microwave Ovenfeatures a similar clean, sleek, retro design that will be the talking point of any kitchen. It delivers bold, 50s styling in a modern appliance with plenty of power and features. With its 12 preprogrammed features and modern dial control, it’s easy to get great results cooking your favorite foods. Five power levels provide great results with a variety of foods. Here’s what you need to know.

Features

700-Watt, 0.7 cu. ft. capacity, compact countertop microwave oven

Beautiful retro series styling in bright red with chrome and silver accents

5 power levels let you tailor power to individual recipes and foods

12-preprogrammed features allow you to cook popular food automatically without worrying about cooking time or power levels

Dial control is a feature most often found in high-end microwaves

Modern LED display features a digital clock

Child safety lock

Long 56.75-inch power cord provides placement flexibility

Dimensions are 18L x 14.2W x 11H inches and it weighs in at a lightweight 27.6 lbs.

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.

With a 0.6 cu. ft. capacity and 600 watts of power, the Westinghouse WCM660B 600-Watt 0.6 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave Oven in Black definitely qualifies as a small microwave oven. It’s really the perfect size footprint and power for small apartments and dorm rooms where space is at a premium. Don’t let the size fool you though, it comes with 6 power levels and a simple-to-use mechanical dial that allows you to precisely tailor power to your recipes. If you like simple and no-fuss operation, it is the perfect small microwave oven to reheat individual dinner plates, cook personal frozen pizzas, warm up your beverages, and much more. A simple 30-minute timer lets you know when dinner is ready and cleanup couldn’t be easier. Here’s what you need to know.

Features

600-Watt, 0.6 Cu. Ft. capacity, countertop microwave oven

Simple design and operation features an easy-to-use mechanical dial with 30-minute timer to announce the end of cook time

The Panasonic NN-SD372S 950W 0.8 Cu. Ft. Countertop Inverter Microwave in Stainless Steel is a very popular small microwave oven that feature inverter technology with true variable power control. Inverter cooking delivers outstanding cooking performance and better results that non-inverter models. Traditional microwaves turn on and off to simulate multiple power levels, but while they’re on they are always producing maximum power. That’s fine for popcorn, but it makes it all but impossible to get good results when cooking more delicate foods. An innovative compact inverter magnetron makes it possible to have inverter cooking technology in such a compact microwave oven. 10 levels of true variable inverter microwave power provide better success with all types of foods including appetizers, entrees, breakfast, and after-school snacks. Defrost faster without pre-cooking food with Inverter Turbo Defrost. One-Touch Auto Cook buttons automatically cook a variety of your favorite foods, including pasta, frozen entrees, potatoes, vegetables, and beverages, without worrying about times or temperature levels. Handy Keep Warm feature pulses very low microwave power for up to 30 minutes while you wait for friends and family. The combination of an easy-clean, stylish stainless steel front with outstanding cooking performance will make this small stainless steel microwave oven the perfect addition to any kitchen countertop. Here’s what you need to know about this Panasonic microwave.

If you’re looking for a small microwave oven with an elegant design and superior cooking performance, the very popular Danby Designer DMW077BLSDD 0.7 Cu. Ft. Countertop Microwave in Black/Stainless Steel has all that and some great features. With its compact size and durability, it’s the perfect small microwave oven for homes, apartments, dorms, lunchrooms, offices, kitchens, and more. 10 power levels allow you to tailor power to your recipes and its simple one-touch cooking function delivers the perfect time and temperature level automatically for six of your favorite foods. Here’s what you need to know.

Features

700-Watt, 0.7 cu. ft. countertop microwave oven

Stylish black and stainless steel finish will go with any home décor

10 power level options provide cooking flexibility

One-Touch cooking function provides automatic time and power level settings for six popular foods

Smart electronic controls are easy to read, program, and monitor, and feature a bright, built-in LED timer and clock

Dimensions are 17-5/16W x 14D x 10-1/8H inches and it weighs in at 26.46 lbs.

18-Month limited warranty on parts and labor

CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON SERVICES LLC. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED 'AS IS' AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.

Small Microwave Oven Comparison

What do you think of these popular compact microwaves? Which small microwave oven are you planning to buy? Please take a moment to leave a comment below.

As always, thanks for reading our MicrowaveOvenCentral.com small microwave oven post! We sincerely hope that it has provided you with valuable information that helps you choose the right small microwave oven for your needs!

About Author

Mark R

Mark is a Systems Engineer with an advanced degree who has been trained to interface between non-engineers and engineers to design products that meet customer needs. He uses this training to help consumers make smart choices about the products they buy. He is a prolific writer who loves to research and provide helpful information about consumer products. He calls Virginia home along with his wife and three kids and loves all that it has to offer including the mountains, the beaches, and the historic sites. His hobbies include his three kids, NASCAR, F1, IndyCar, Premier League Soccer, UEFA Soccer, and MLS Soccer. You can find him on Google+ and Twitter.